Device for supplying fuel to internal-combustion engines



March 10, 1931. KARL PRINZ zu LOWENSTEIN 1,795,369

DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING FUEL TO INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 50 1927 Patented Mar. 10, 193i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KARL PRINZ ZU LGWENSTEIN, OF BERLIN, GERMANY Application filed April 30, 1927, Serial No. 187,844, and in Germany May 6, 1926.

My invention relates in the ,tirst place to a method of operating internal combustion engines, and in practicing this method I evaporate a liquid hydrocarbon, such as benzine, benzole, alcohol, a heavy oil, or the like, by the heat of the exhaust gases, and conduct the vapor obtained to the explosion cylinder. The advantage presented by this procedure is that the amount of the respective hydrocarbon can be measured by far more accurately than can be done with the injection method, in that the volume of vapor is considerably larger than that of the liquid from which the vapor has been obtained. Another advantage is this that the mixture of the vapor and air can be compressed by far more highly whereby higher pressures after the explosion of the highly compressed mixture can be obtained in the cylinder.

It is suited to the purpose to evaporate the liquid hydrocarbon by the heat of the exhaust gases in a small boiler-like vessel combined with a controlanember which provides for the supply of the amount of vapor to the cylinder at the time, being shortly prior to the point of time at which the ignition is to take place.

As the degree of the compression does not atl'ect the hydrocarbon used, that degree can [Reconsider-ably higher than with the injection'method, as already stated.

1 am aware of the fact that it is already known to subject a liquid hydrocarbon together with a very small amount of air in a separate small vessel to a pressure of such a height that it is evaporated by the heat of compressiomand enters then the cylinder in vaporous state. It is, however, also with this procedure necessary to measure accurately the amount of the liquid hydrocarbon which is to be introduced into the separate small cylinder mentioned so that, although hydrocarbon vapor is introduced into the working cylinder, still, very small amounts of liquid hydrocarbon must be measured very accurately. This, however, is just the point to be overcome, and being overcome, by the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing the figure is a sectional diagrammatic view of an improved embodiment of the invention.

In order to carry the invention into effect I prefer to make use of the device illustrated diagran'unatically and by way of example on the accompanying drawing on which practically all members, with only a few exceptions, are shown in section. On this drawing, a denotes the boiler-like vessel in which the liquid hydrocarbon is to be evaporated. The evaporation is effected indirectly by means of a so-called thermo-siphon through which either mercury (continuously the same%) or, if the respective hydrocarbon has a low oiling-point, water is caused to circulate. For this purpose the vessel (1 is inserted into a larger vessel 2) whereby a heating space 0 is formed. This space communicates at the bottom of the vessel I) with a jacket f surrounding the exhaust-pipe eof the internal combustion engine, and near the top of the vessel Z) a pipe 9 is branched off and connects the space. F

c with the otherend of the jacket 7. The transmission of the heat of the exhaust gases from these latter to the mercury or water present also in the tubular space between the jacket 7 and the pipe 0 can be varied or regulated by a tubular member e located within the pipe 6 and being shiftable therein so that a larger or smaller portion of the heat-transmitting surface can be rendered inactive,-if necessary or desired. The heat transmitted to the mercury or water which circulates continuously through said tubular space and through the space a is transmitted further in known manner to the hydrocarbon present in the vessel a. A float 71. provided in the vessel a opens or closes a cook 11 by the intermediary of a rod h and a lever 7L2; this cock is inserted between a supply pipe 71 and a feed-pump j by which the hydrocarbon is pumped into the vessel a.

egulating the amount of hydrocarbon vapor required for every explosion in the working cylinder K: can be effected in a variety of manners. In the example shown, m denotes a hollow is ground a correspondingly shaped member a having a chamber 0 and a channel 0. The member n is firmly connected with afshaft s and continuously rotated by the same. There are in the member m two oppositely truncated cone into which located bores m and m, of which the first is connected with the vessel a by means of a p pe p whereas the other is connected by a pipe p with the cylinder is, this latter being, thus, intermittently connected with the vessel a according to the number of revolutions of the member a. The chamber 0' can be increased or reduced in size by means of a piston rwhich can be shifted along upon the shaft 8 by suitable means (not shown), it being thus rendered possible to increase or decrease the amount of hydrocarbon vapor passing from the vessel a to the cylinder k at every revolution of the member n.

The pressure in the vessel or must, of course, be greater than the pressure in the compression space of the cylinder is in order to enable the hydrocarbon vapor to flow from said vessel to said space.

Pro-heating the internal combustion engine after a somewhat long standstill can be effected according to a known method by an accumulation of heat.

I claim:

1. A device for supplying fuel to internal combustion engines, comprising, in combination, a vessel adapted to receive a liquid bydrocarbon; another vessel enclosing the firstmentioned vessel and leaving between it and that first vessel a space adapted to receive a heat-trans1nitting liquid; a jacket enclosing a part of the exhaust-pipe of the respective en gine; two pipes, of which one establishes a connection between one end of said jacket and the lowermost portion of said second vessel, and the other establishes a connection between the other end of the saidjacket and the uppermost portion of the said second vessel, and means for varying the size of the heat-transmitting surface of said portion of the exhaust pipe substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.

2. A device for supplying fuel to internal combustion engines, comprising, in combination, a vessel adapted to receive a liquid by drocarbon; another vessel enclosing the firstmentioned vessel and leaving between it and that first vessel a space adapted to receive a heat-transmitting liquid; 9. jacket enclosing a part of the exhaust-pipe of the respective engine; two pipes, of which one establishes a. connection betweenone end of said jacket and the lowermost portion of said second vesml, and the other establishes a connection between the other end of the said jacket and the uppermost portion of the said second vessel, and a tubular member located in said heat-transmitting portion of the exhaust pipe, and being shiftable therein, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.

3. A device for supplying fuel to internal combustion engines, comprising, 1n combmation, a vessel adapted to receive a h uid hythat first vessel a space ada ted to receive a heat-transmitting liquid; a acket enclosing a part of the exhaust-pipe of the respective engine; two pipes, of which one establishes a connection between one end of said jacket and the lowermost portion of said second vessel, and the other establishes a connection between the other end of the said jacket and the uppermost portion of the said second vessel, means for varying the size of the heattransmitting surface of said portion of the exhaust pipe, a third pipe extending forth from the top of the first-mentioned vessel to the cylinder of the respective engine; a fuel control cock inserted into this pipe; and an axially shiftable regulating member'extending into a chamber of the plug of this cock, iu sltlantially as, and for the purpose, set

ort

4. A device for supplying fuel to internal combustion engines, comprising, in combination, a vessel adapted to receive a liquid hydrocarbon; another vessel enclosing the firstmentioned vessel and leaving between it and that first vessel 8. space adapted to receive a heat-transmittin liquid; a jacket enclosing a part of the exhaust-pipe of the respective engine; two pipes, of which one establishes a connection between one end of said jacket and the lowermost portion of said second vessel, and the other establishes a connection between the other end of the said jacket and the uppermost portion of the said second vessel, and a tubular member located in said heat-transmitting portion of the exhaust pipe, and being shiftable therein, a third pipe extending forth from the top of the rst-Inentioned vessel to the cylinder of the respective engine; a fuel control cock inserted into this pipe, the plug of this cool; having a measuring chamber for the individual amounts of the fuel to be supplied into the c linder of the engine; an axially shift able ody for varying the size of said charm ber; and'means for rotating said plug, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.

In testimony whereof] ailix my signature.

KARL PRINZ ZU LilWEllSlEliN.

drocarbon; another vessel enclosing t e firstmentioned vessel and leaving between it and 

